(Radio Iowa) – A report requested by a legislator suggests adding bachelor’s degree programs at the state’s community colleges could expand access to Iowans with a limited ability to travel and help fill gaps in Iowa’s workforce. The Community Colleges of Iowa report reviewed the experience in other states where community colleges offer four-year degrees. If the Iowa legislature approves the move in Iowa, the report recommends that community colleges be allowed to charge higher tuition rates for bachelor’s level courses that would start no sooner than the fall semester of 2028. It suggests community colleges will need 20 million dollar state seed grants over the next five years to hire faculty, prepare courses for 40 four-year degrees and expand services for those four-year students.

The report warns, though, the move would be a stretch for already tight community college budgets and it’s become more difficult for Iowa community colleges to find faculty in high-demand areas. The report was requested by Republican Representative Taylor Collins of Mediapolis, chair of the Higher Education Committee in the Iowa House. Over 200 community colleges in 24 other states are offering bachelor’s degrees. The Community Colleges of Iowa report says making that move here would provide students new pathways to high-demand careers with better pay by making a bachelor’s degree more affordable. It would also address what the report calls “regional educational deserts.”